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Ok you rate South Dakota high because of the things you cite but my perverse conclusion is that people in this poll rated it high because they have never been there but have some preconceived notion about it -same reason why they rate California low.

The Best News I've Seen in Weeks!

To all the California "hatters" out there - keep up the good work. In fact, please convince as many of our residents to leave California as you possibly can. If anyone doubts the negative effects of over-population, California should change your mind. Please, go! Now, would be good. South Dakota and Virginia are ready to welcome you. Really. Their welcome wagons are all revvved up! And please keep the hate alive. We really need more California haters, because your hate may be our salvation. Thanks for NOT coming!

^^^ re: the budget mess...a lot of the Tea baggers think it's god repaying us for evil like same sex marriage, hippies and immigrants. I'd like to laugh about it but some really think that and they're happy that Gomorrah is going down.

It is because California is symbolic, we are the "Left Coast"--to the rest of the country we are the future and conservatives (most of the rest of America) by definition want to keep things the same--i.e., not like California. Yet trends started in California inevitably spread nationwide. We have changed the way Americans eat, first it was fast food, now organic, fresh, wine, good coffee, craft beer... we are always at the forefront. We have the largest population and we are now majority minority. We are multi-ethnic, multi-religious, relatively tolerant of immigrants, gays, lesbians, transexuals, you name it, even conservatives--and the rest of the country, though decades behind California in demographics, is following. Plus, we are prosperous. We invent whole new multi-billion dollar industries in our garages. We have the best public university system on the planet. We have the center of the film industry in Hollywoood, we have the center of technology in Silicon Valley. We produce more food than any other state, and the value of our ag products equals everyone else's combined. We have beaches, mountains, forests, deserts, cities, surfing and skiing....

Simply put, they hate us for our freedom and prosperity and for the future we represent.

^^^ re: the budget mess...a lot of the Tea baggers think it's god repaying us for evil like same sex marriage, hippies and immigrants. I'd like to laugh about it but some really think that and they're happy that Gomorrah is going down.

Oh my goodness: What if they're right and it's God that won't let us get to the Rose Bowl?!?

Well, apparently, a lot of things. In a poll released Tuesday by the Public Policy Polling, California was the least popular state in the United States. Only 27 percent of Americans hold a favorable view of the Golden State compared to the 44 percent who view it unfavorably.

GoCal73, the 27 percent holding a favorable view....all live here! Let's encourage all those people from Iowa, Oklahoma, Arkansas to head back home. The Great Depression is over.

Well, apparently, a lot of things. In a poll released Tuesday by the Public Policy Polling, California was the least popular state in the United States. Only 27 percent of Americans hold a favorable view of the Golden State compared to the 44 percent who view it unfavorably.

GoCal73, the 27 percent holding a favorable view....all live here! Let's encourage all those people from Iowa, Oklahoma, Arkansas to head back home. The Great Depression is over.

44 percent who view California unfavorably = all Republicans - about half of the Republicans that live in California (but live here anyway, they just say they hate it) + Oregon + Washington.

Simply put, they hate us for our freedom and prosperity and for the future we represent.

The freedom you speak of is dwindling more and more. What if I want to buy a happy meal in SF? Can't do it. What if I want to buy an incandescent lightbulb for my floodlights? Nope. Every "spill-proof" California-approved gas can I've bought spill quite a bit, and the banned ones I have work perfectly fine. Heck, CARB even tried pushing forward new legislation that would have made something along the lines of "mud-puddle brown" the darkest color you could have for your car (effectively banning black cars).

Now, I'm not saying California sucks; in fact, I can't imagine living anywhere else. But I'm sad to see more and more legislation pushed forward here that infringes on personal liberty in the name of "it's for the children" or "we're doing it for your own good", rather than addressing the root issue or enforcing laws already on the books. The state seems a little ban happy, and I can imagine how other people in other states might hate us for that because what starts here tends to bleed over into their state too, both the good and the bad.

The one thing that peeves me the most though is the leaf blower ban in a lot of cities, on the basis that the noise level is dangerous for the operator if they don't wear ear protection. First of all if you don't heed the big sticker on the blower that says "EAR PROTECTION RECOMMENDED" then you're an idiot who probably shouldn't be operating one in the first place. So much for personal responsibility... In any case, a ton of manufacturers have been producing quieter models for a while now (well below the acceptable thresholds set by medical professionals) that renders all of the noise issues moot, and yet they're still a no-go.